Tuesday, April 10, 2012

It’s here.Taken at Dusk, my third book in the Shadow Falls Series has hit the bookshelves and is hopefully falling into the hands of many readers.How does that make me feel?

Excuse me, I think I need to throw up.

You know I have given birth to sixteen published books.So, you would think after straining, and pushing out sixteen of those babies, it would have become sort of a “been there, done that” kind of thing.But nope.I still get a big ball of nerves in the pit of my stomach.The kind that a Tums or a Beano pill won’t cure.I’m talking about that ol’ fashioned, “Oh crap, what have I done now?” kind of feeling.

I start wondering if I shouldn’t have gone over the book one more time? I even think of better lines to replace some of those that I’d written. It’s so hard to let go sometimes.

Someone once asked me, “What’s it really like to be a writer?”

I told them it’s both terrifying and exhilarating as the same time. It’s the easiest and yet the hardest thing I’ve ever done. There’s a part of me that can’t wait for readers to delve into my story, but there’s also another part that says…"Stop, put that down right now! When they said they were publishing the book I didn’t know that meant everyone could read it.”

I also think readers sometimes have a misconception about who writers really are. And if they pick up my books and study them really closely, they might see me for who I really am instead of some really cool author. Not that I’m big in the whole pretense thing. Below are four things that people just assume about writers and my thoughts concerning how they really pertain to this writer.

Writers can spell and are grammar gurus.

Please! First I’m dyslexic, second, English is my third language, my first is Alabamian and my second is Texan. Below are three of my most famous typos that were either posted in blogs or entered in contests.

Chase glanced down at his bloody shit. (Oops, I meant shirt! I swear he did not take a poo while hiding in the heroine’s back yard.)

Before I go pubic with this. (Wait, did I say “pubic?” I meant “public.”)

She was going to have to resort to blackmale. (You know I meant blackmail, right?)

Writers are profound and everything we write is ingrained in symbolism and has a deep underlying theme.

I hate to disappoint you, but I make this shit up. Seriously, the kangaroo and the dragon in Taken at Dusk, do not have a deeper meaning. I was desperate, probably hyped-up on caffeine, and stayed up too late writing the night before. So I dug deep, and that’s all my brain would give me—a kangaroo and a dragon. So, I went with it.

Writers get up every day and dress as if they were going into an office. Perfect hair, makeup and high heels.

I know this is going to surprise you, but there are days, many of them, that at five o’clock in the afternoon, I’m still in my PJs, braless, and no makeup. I mean, if my house caught fire and some super hot good looking firemen were outside, I’d probably decide to just burn up before letting them see me like this.

Writers are strange people who live mostly inside their head. They talk to themselves, they have been known to make faces in the mirror, and sometimes they forget that their characters aren’t real people.

Okay, I’ll give you that one. It’s pretty much true. But in my defense… okay I don’t have a defense. I’m a writer.

And now I’ll leave you with the thirteen things you’ll learn from reading Taken at Dusk:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<!--[endif]--> The only thing worse than trying to help a woman with amnesia remember her name and life is trying to help a dead woman with amnesia remember hers.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<!--[endif]-->Be careful what you wish for—you might just get it . . . and the reality will probably not be anything like the fantasy.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<!--[endif]-->The person you think is your enemy could just turn into a friend who'll do anything to save you.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<!--[endif]-->The scariest thing in the world isn't ghosts or rogue vampires bent on murder—it's falling in love.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->5.<!--[endif]-->Explaining why you have a skunk curled up in your arms to your mom and your old best friend is as easy as eating a brownie while brushing your teeth.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->6.<!--[endif]-->We all make mistakes, which is why it's so important to practice forgiveness.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->7.<!--[endif]-->The only thing worse than a pissed-off shape-shifter is a pissed-off shape-shifter in love.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->8.<!--[endif]-->Sometimes the earth really does have to open up and swallow you whole before you can accept the truth that's right in front of you.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->9.<!--[endif]-->Vampires have no sense of humor . . . especially when they get turned into a kangaroo.

10.Free will gives us choices, but even making the right choices can't change destiny...and learning to accept that can be the most painful lesson of all.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->11.<!--[endif]-->People aren’t always who they say they are, even if you really want them to be.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->12.<!--[endif]-->Sometimes when you try to save someone, they end up saving you instead.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->13.<!--[endif]-->Never get between a dragon and a warlock on the war path.

So…now I’d like to hear your beliefs about writers. Tell me your perception, and I’ll tell you if it’s true or not.

I’m also giving away a $10 gift card to either B&N or Amazon, winner’s choice. So make sure you leave a comment. I’ll post the winner tomorrow morning, so you have to come back to see if you’ve won.

Oh…and one more thing.A friend of mine is trying to raise more money for the Star of Hope, a great homeless shelter, so she’s giving away .55 for every copy of her book, Onslaught, that she sells for the entire month of April.If you enjoy reading a suspense novel that features terrifying storms, kidnapped children and, of course, a bit of romance, go snag a copy of her e-book.

39 comments:

YAY! Another one :D I won your books forever ago and have had the most horrible couple of years (and no, there is no cause and effect or even implied!) and one of the happiest things (down like at #3, 1 being that my daughter lived through her brain surgery!) in last few years has been reading those copies. I can't wait until I can buy everysingle one and not just drool when I see your blog release dates!

Happy release day Christie! I love your books. Although I have not read any of these, shame on me. So many books and not enough time is my only excuse. You always have the cutest post to funny. Thanks for share your new book with us.

When I read:Writers are strange people who live mostly inside their head. They talk to themselves, they have been known to make faces in the mirror, and sometimes they forget that their characters aren’t real people.I went, "wait a minute, that one is completely true..." before I even read on. Anyway, it made me laugh.

I love your post Christie! Your four misconceptions are right on. I guess my misconception was when you get published, writing gets easier. I can write a synopsis, blurb, and the first three chapter (which is always a struggle for me) in a blink of an eye. :-)

Yeah it's here and my daughter will quit making frowny face scowls at me. What do you mean my characters aren't real people? Sure they are, especially when they have to meet an untimely demise in a most horrific way. (Did I mention they are the ones that %*&# me off.)

Good luck, I know they will fly off the shelves or through cyberspace into an e-reader you will have one more best seller on your hands.

Finally! Kiddo has been nagging me about this for months. And of course she's out of town when it finally hits shelves. But I'll remind her when I talk to her. Heck, I'll just go buy it and surprise her with it when she gets home.

Christie! Happy release day! (Offering my Pepto Bismol (sp?) to you;) I loved the post:) And thanks for sharing "the real you":) I understand, completely. I live in fear of something dreadful happening, and whoever answers the 911 call wondering if I'm a morbidly depressed recluse. I stay in my pj's so often, I've begun calling them my work clothes. I recently went to Penney's (because of all the hysterical ads on tv) and bought several pair of Liz Claiborne comfy pj's. Figured I could use them as a write off at the end of the year. Surely work clothes can be included in some way as an expenditure:)I enjoyed the post...and am wishing you fantastic sales:)Lo

Thanks so much. I'm glad I gave you a chuckle. Believe me, I didn't laugh about it for at least a week. LOL. But later, I decided what the hey, it was funny. However, it was the comments from the judges that really cracked me up.

The Crime

The authors of this blog are hereby charged with writing Killer Fiction novels responsible for spontaneous outbursts of laughter in public places, uncontrollable swooning over larger-than-life heroes, and the deaths of countless fictional villains.

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